Do you work with children and adolescents with autism who exhibit behaviors that interfere with their ability to effectively and efficiently navigate their environment? They appear willful, obnoxious, over reactive and unfeeling. They lose control of their ability to cope or regulate their behavior, which can send them spiraling into a meltdown. And, you feel frustrated, powerless and helpless after each meltdown.

Drawing on over 40 years of professional and personal experience, Timothy will lead you through dynamic discussion, video case examples and demonstrations providing dozens of strategies you can implement immediately with these children/adolescents – in any setting. Walk away with an array of practical strategies for:

Preventing and de-escalating meltdowns

Teaching and promoting appropriate behaviors

Providing instructional consequences/replacement behaviors

Developing self-control and self-management skills

… and more!

“Teach them in the way they learn” will be a mantra throughout the seminar.

Objectives:

Analyze functions of behavior to determine if a child with autism is having a tantrum or meltdown to inform intervention strategies.

Implement intervention strategies to target social-communication skills deficits and subsequent behavior difficulties in children with autism.

Employ a “breathe card” and emotions chart as intervention strategies to develop self-control and self-management skills in children with autism.

Design optimal therapy/classroom environment to manage overstimulation and sensory breakdowns in children with autism.

Determine specific intervention strategies to defuse explosive behaviors and de-escalate meltdowns in children with autism.

Integrate change of schedule cues and transition markers in therapy/classroom to reduce symptoms of anxiety in children with autism.

OUTLINE

Functions of a Meltdown

Tantrum vs. meltdown

Stages of a meltdown

Sensory issues vs. behavioral issues

Meltdown video

Strategies for the Meltdown Cycle: Intervention, Prevention and Postvention

Sensory Issues

Optimal learning environments

Easy-to-use sensory tools

Overstimulation and sensory breakdowns

Incorporate a sensory lifestyle throughout the day

Executive Function

Increase attention and focus

Strengthen motivation and engagement

On-task and task completion skills

Visual reminders for routines and predictability

Visual structure for organization

Self-Regulation

Develop self-control and self-monitoring skills

Tools for self-feedback

Use high focus and interest areas as powerful incentives to change behavior

Social/Emotional Communication

Communication for positive social interaction

Appropriate interactions with their peers

First-person stories for positive behavior changes and affirmations

Explosive Behaviors

Recognize the triggers

Reduce symptoms of anxiety

Modeling appropriate behavior

Defuse explosive behaviors

Decrease maladaptive behaviors

Increase appropriate behaviors

Special Considerations

Collaboration with parents/caregivers

Strategies for helping the parent/caregiver with grief

Techniques for After the Meltdown

Strategies for instructional consequences

Chart appropriate/inappropriate behaviors

Activities for reviewing behaviors when calm

Use cartooning to facilitate feedback

Strategies for providing systematic feedback

Reinforcement for communication strategies

Identify feelings and review behavior

Hands-on and Small Group Activities

Demonstration video

Small group exercises: Brainstorm appropriate and meaningful replacement behaviors

Target Audience

Speech-Language Pathologists & Speech-Language Pathology Assistants

Occupational Therapists & Occupational Therapy Assistants

Special & General Educators

School Guidance Counselors

School Administrators

Educational Paraprofessionals

Counselors

Social Workers

Psychologists

School Psychologists

Marriage and Family Therapists

Physical Therapists & Physical Therapist Assistants

Other Helping Professionals that Work with Children

TIMOTHY P. KOWALSKI, M.A., CCC-SLP

Timothy P. Kowalski, M.A., CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist specializing in social-pragmatic communication deficits and internationally known expert on Asperger Syndrome. His Orlando practice has seen clients from Europe, South America and throughout the USA. Mr. Kowalski regularly consults to schools on best practices for students identified or suspected of having Asperger’s syndrome and provides school-wide district inservices.

Mr. Kowalski presents internationally on a wide variety of issues relative to Asperger’s, is a guest lecturer at universities and colleges and is a consultant for forensic cases involving Asperger’s syndrome. He has worked in a variety of psychiatric healthcare delivery systems including in-patient and outpatient psychiatric hospitals, sex-offender units, and school-based settings. Mr. Kowalski is the author of six books on Asperger syndrome: Asperger Syndrome Explained; Social-Pragmatic Success for Asperger Syndrome and Other Related Disorders; Are You In The Zone?; The Source for Asperger’s Syndrome; Me, Myself, and You; Understanding Emotions: A Guide for Adults; and an article Assessing Social Communication in Asperger Syndrome.

He previously held the position of vice president of professional practices in speech-language pathology for the Florida Speech-Language-Hearing Association and is also a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Autism Society of America, Council for Behavior Disorders, and the Council for Exceptional Children. Mr. Kowalski is the recipient of the “2010 Clinician of the Year Award” offered by the Florida Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists and the 2011 FLASHA nominee for the ASHA Louis M. di Carlo Award for Recent Clinical Achievement. He holds the “TEAMS 2000 Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year” award for his work with Autism in the four-countywide greater Orlando, Florida metropolitan area and has served on the board of directors for the Greater Orlando Chapter of the Autism Society of America.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial: Timothy Kowalski is preseident of Professional Communication Services, Inc. He receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc.

Non-financial: Timothy Kowalski is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Autism Society of America and the Florida Association for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists.

Credits listed below are for full attendance at the live event only. After attendance has been verified, pre-registered attendees will receive an email from PESI Customer Service with the subject line, “Evaluation and Certificate” within one week. This email will contain a link to complete the seminar evaluation and allow attendees to print, email or download a certificate of completion if in full attendance. For those in partial attendance (arrived late or left early), a letter of attendance is available through that link and an adjusted certificate of completion reflecting partial credit will be issued within 30 days (if your board allows). Please see “live seminar schedule” for full attendance start and end times. NOTE: Boards do not allow credit for breaks or lunch.

If your profession is not listed, please contact your licensing board to determine your continuing education requirements and check for reciprocal approval. For other credit inquiries not specified below, or questions on home study credit availability, please contact cepesi@pesi.com or 800-844-8260 before the event.

Materials that are included in this course may include interventions and modalities that are beyond the authorized practice of mental health professionals. As a licensed professional, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice in accordance with and in compliance with your professions standards.

CounselorsThis intermediate activity consists of 6.25 clock hours of continuing education instruction. Credit requirements and approvals vary per state board regulations. Please save the course outline, the certificate of completion you receive from the activity and contact your state board or organization to determine specific filing requirements.

Educators/TeachersThis course is designed to qualify toward your professional development requirement. The program is 6.25 clock hours in length.

Pennsylvania Educators & School Personnel: 6.5 ACT 48 Hours will be made available through Capital Area Intermediate Unit (CAIU)for locations in Scranton, PA on 6/5/19; Bethlehem, PA on 6/6/19; and Harrisburg, PA on 6/7/19. Those requesting ACT 48 Hours will be required to sign in and provide their Pennsylvania Certification Number and will receive instructions at the seminar on how to create a free online account with CAIU; only those individuals who have a CAIU online account are eligible to receive ACT 48 Hours.

Marriage & Family TherapistsThis activity consists of 380 minutes of continuing education instruction. Credit requirements and approvals vary per state board regulations. You should save this course outline, the certificate of completion you receive from the activity and contact your state board or organization to determine specific filing requirements.

Occupational Therapists & Occupational Therapy Assistants

PESI, Inc. is an AOTA Approved Provider of continuing education. Provider #: 3322. Full attendance at this course qualifies for 6.0 contact hours or .6 CEUs in the Category of Domain of OT and Occupational Therapy Process. Partial credit will be issued for partial attendance. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. Course Level: Intermediate.

Pennsylvania Psychologists: PESI, Inc. is approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Psychology to offer continuing education for psychologists. Provider #PSY000211. PESI maintains responsibility for the program(s). This program qualifies for 6.25 continuing education hours.

Psychologists/School Psychologists: PESI, Inc. is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists to offer professional development for school psychologists. PESI maintains responsibility for the program. Provider #1140. PESI is offering this activity for 6.25 hours of continuing education credit. Full attendance is required; no partial credits will be offered for partial attendance.

Speech-Language Pathologists

This course is offered for .6 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate level, Professional area).

Social Workers

PESI, Inc., #1062, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. PESI, Inc. maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: January 27, 2017 - January 27, 2020. Social Workers completing this course receive 6.25 Clinical Practice continuing education credits. Course Level: Intermediate. Full attendance is required; no partial credits will be offered for partial attendance. A certificate of attendance will be awarded at the end of the program to social workers who complete the program evaluation.

Pennsylvania Social Workers, MFTs and Professional Counselors: The Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors accepts many national association CE approvals, several of which PESI offers. For a full list, please see your State Board regulations at https://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/. This Intermediate activity consists of 6.25 clock hours of continuing education instruction.

Other ProfessionsThis activity qualifies for 380 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Save your course outline and certificate of completion, and contact your own board or organization for specific requirements.